Silo.



PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903. P. H. RYDEB..

SILO.

ILED SEPT. 25, 1902 yPatented December 15, 1903.

SllLU.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,997, dated December 15, 1903. Application filed September 25, 1902. Serial No. 124,732. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that LFRANK H. RYDER. a citizen of the United States, residing at Cobleskill, in the county of Schoharie and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Silos, of which the `following is a description.

My invention is an improvement in doors for silos, my object being to provide a door having means whereby it may be securely clamped in place and may be readily opened by the application of slight power when this is exerted in the proper manner upon the fasn tening device.

The features of my invention will be fully described in the detailed description and par ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front View of the invention with so much of the silo structure as is necessary to an understanding of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the door with the means for holding it in place. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional plan views showing a portion of the door and one of the upright beams or j ambs with the clamping connection between them, and Fig. 5 is a detail view.

In the drawings the vertical posts or jambe of the door-frame are indicated at l. The door 2 is adapted to close the space between these j arnbs, and its edges are beveled, as at 3, to fit corresponding inclined surfaces on the door-jamb, suitable packing-strips of rubber being held on these inclined surfaces. Each door, at its lower end, is provided with a flange or lip 4, adapted to make a lap-joint with the upper edge of the door-section next below, which is provided on its front edge with an upwardly-extending lip for this purpose.

In order to hold the door-section in place I provide clamping means between the same and the door-jambs. These comprise clamping-levers 5, permanently and pivotally connected with links 6, the inner end of each of which is provided with a central extension '7, terminating in a head 8 of special shape, as hereinafter pointed out. This headis adapted to enter a socket 9, formed on an elongated plate or bar 10, which is firmly secured to the face of the door near its lateral edge. The armsof the link pass through notches ll, formed in the upper and lower edges 0f a bracket 12, which is secured by screws to the front face of the door-jamb and projects inwardly from the edge thereof over the dooropening. This bracket not only serves to hold the link, but it serves as a wearing-plate for the clamping-lever. The clamping-lever is connected with the link by the vertical crossbar of the link passing through an opening or groove 13 in the clamping-lever, the mouth of said opening being smaller than the diameter of the cross-bar, so that while free pivotal movement of one part in relation'to the other is permitted the link and clamping-lever will be held against separation. The lever is provided with a clamping-head 14, the curved bearing-surface of which is eccentric to the point of pivotal connection between the link and lever, and when the lever by means of its handle l5 is thrown into clamping position, as shown in Fig. 3, the high part of the clamp riding against the face of the bracket will draw the link forwardly, and th us rmly hold the door in place. The relation of the parts is such that when the clamping-lever is in clamping position the pivot-point between the clamping-lever and link will have crossed a line drawn between the head of the link and the center of the cam-head, so that a secure locking effect will be obtained.

Any force tending to press the door inwardly serves to hold the parts even more securely in locked position.

The bracket is provided with fingers which reach up alongside the bars of the link to hold the same in place. The clamping-socket on the door, which is intended to receive the head of the link, is provided with a lateral mouth or opening 16, and the head of the link, which is elongated vertically, passes into this mouth, while the stem or extension of the link passes into a more contracted mouth or slot 17, formed in the front wall of the boX comprising the socket. The head of the link is provided with rounded surfaces be removed from the socket.

18, meeting at the lateral edges of said head. This construction enables the head to be readily placed into or removed from the socket.

In opening a door it is simply necessary to swing the clampsinwardly toward each other, which will cause a sufficient loosening of the connection to permit the head of the link to By then pushing the door inward at or near its lower edge and letting it down enough to disengage the flange at the top from the bottom of the section above the door so moved is rendered entirely free. It will be seen from the construction of the clamping parts that the clampinglever and the link, while loosely supported for free adjustment and manipulation, are yet held in place upon thedoor-jamb ready for use when the door is to be again closed. This is due to the manner of supporting the link in the notches of the bracket and to the manner of connecting the said link with the clamping-lever. When the parts of the clamp are loosened, the link together with the lever maintain substantially their relative positions-that is, the clamp remaining horizontally and the link remaining substantially horizontal also. The socket in which the head fits has rearwardly-extending or overhanging flanges 19, under which the head of the link catches. By reason of the cross-sectional tapered form of the head of the link it is easily inserted or removed from the socket. As shown in the plan view, the link is slightly curved. The plate or bar l0, carrying the socket, is of angular form and is provided with strengthening-webs 20.

I am aware that it has been proposed to provide a silo-door with a wedging device arranged substantially equidistant from the ends of such door and coperating with a permanent vertical rod or series of rods centrally arranged in the opening in the silo, as in the patent of Schlichter, No. 653,967. This construction, however, is faulty in many respects. Since silo-doors, due to pressure, moisture, exposure, v &c., expand, contract, and warp more or less, I have found that the ideal place mechanically fora wedging device is not in the center of the door, (the relationv of which to the door-jambs and to the permanant member of such device undergoes frequent change,) but adjacent to the ends of the door, (the relation of which to the jambs is practically fixed and unchanging.) Again and for the same purpose-t'. e., to effect a reliable tight joint between the door and jamb-it is desirable to apply the pressure of the clamping device not only adjacent to the ends of the door, but also substantially midway between the upper and lower edges thereof. In the prior construction the latter may be possible to some extent when the silo is new and the wedging device nicely adjusted. The slightest warping of the door, however, in either direction will result in throwing such device out of adjustment, so that pressure will be applied not -in the center of the door, but adjacent to its upper or lower edge, no pressure or at least no adequate pressure being applied to the other edge. These andlother defects of the prior construction, to which attention need not here be called, are entirely overcome in the mechanism herein described, whereby a reliable tight joint may readily be effected and when so eected will withstand all changes of whatsoever character which may take place in the use of the silo.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination with thebeams or Vdoorjambs, clamping means comprising a clamping-lever, a link, and a socket for holding said link removably, the said link being connected with the lever and having longitudinal movement to interlock with said socket, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the door and door frame, a clamping-lever and a detachable link connection between the clamping-lever and door, said link being adapted to be detached by a longitudinal and a lateral movement, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the door-frame, a door, a bracket on the door-frame, a clamping-lever, a detachable link connection between the same and door, said link connection and clamping -lever being supported by the bracket and the said link having longitudinal movement on said bracket, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the door-frame, a door and clamping means comprising a bracket, a clamping-lever, and a detachable link connection between the same and the door, said link having a sliding connection with the bracket and permanently supported thereby and having a pivotal connection with the clamping-lever, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a door and doorframe, a socket secured to the door, a bracket secured to the door-frame and having notches in its upper-and lower edges, a link coacting with said notches and having a head adapted to removably fit in the socket, and a clamping-lever pivotally connected with the link, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the door and doorframe, a link having a detachable connection with one of said parts, a bracket for holding the link and permitting the same to have sliding movement, and a clamping-lever pivotally connected to the link and` working upon the bracket, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a door-frame, a door, and clamping means for the door comprising a clamping-lever held on the doorfram'e, and a link extending inwardly toward the door which is seated against the inner part of the frame, said link forming a detach- IOO IIO

able connection between the clamping-lever lever and the interlocking end of the link, and the door, substantially as described. substantially as described. 1o 8. In combination with the members to be This specification signed and witnessed this clamped, a clamping lever, a link pivoted 22d day of September, 1902.

5 thereto and detachably connected with oneof FRANK H. RYDER.

the members, and means for supporting the Witnesses: link and clampingdever loosely, said means SANFORD S. MYERS,

being located intermediate of the clamping- ESTELLE, M. TIDD. 

